Government Contractors: Not Your Average Corporate Evildoers

"Fearing increased oversight from the newly elected Democratic-controlled Congress, the Coalition for Government Procurement (CGP), a trade group representing government product and service suppliers, is planning a PR and marketing campaign to promote its members as responsible companies and not stereotypical 'corporate evildoers,'" reports Ted McKenna. The CGP is also forming a new group, the Council on Responsible Contracting (CORC). In a letter recruiting members for CORC, CGP's Larry Allen warned, "The new Congress will look upon contractors with the sort of contempt usually reserved for those who steal candy from babies." The campaign will focus on members of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, Defense Department and "other government customers," as well as "executive branch officials." The campaign "could have a budget of at least $250,000," according to Allen. "No PR firm is yet attached to the effort, though Qorvis Communications late last year arranged a conference call for coalition members to discuss the benefits of a PR campaign."